This doesn’t always work to Amarista’s advantage. In 300 plate appearances with the Padres last season, the diminutive Amarista walked 5.6 percent of the time. At the other end of the spectrum, 6-foot-6 Kyle Blanks has drawn walks in 10.2 percent of his plate appearances.

“If the ball is in Amarista’s zone, he’s attacking,” Plantier said. “I like the attitude.”

But toward the end of last season, pitchers made an adjustment on Amarista that spun the Venezuelan into a 1-for-32 slump before he, too, adjusted.

Amarista finished with a .240 average while striking out 15 percent of the time. But at one point he was solidly in the .270s. He also had 15 doubles, five triples and five homers for 32 RBIs in 275 at-bats. Amarista’s average with runners in scoring position was a solid .265. But his on-base average was a below par .282.

But the Padres love the versatility of Amarista, who turns 24 on April 6. He started at four different positions — and played everywhere but first and catcher — in 105 games for the Padres in 2012 after being promoted from Triple-A Tucson on May 16.

He and shortstop Everth Cabrera joined the Padres when the club jettisoned middle infielders Orlando Hudson and Jason Bartlett.

“I was a little bit surprised they called me up so soon,” said Amarista, who was acquired last May 3 along with right-handed pitching prospect Donn Roach in the trade that sent relief pitcher Ernesto Frieri to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

Amarista admits his favorite position is second base.

“The rest fall in line equal as my second-favorite position,” he said.

Amarista made 43 starts at second last year, although Logan Forsythe started the majority of the games at second. Amarista also made eight starts at short, seven in left and eight in center.

Amarista has had a solid spring, hitting .340 with a homer and nine RBIs in a team-high 50 at-bats. “I am a little more focused on the strike zone,” he said. “I still chase at times, but I am working to fix that.”